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| Brazil Rousseff: MPs hold knife-edge impeachment vote | Brazil Rousseff: MPs hold knife-edge impeachment vote |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Brazil's lower house of Congress is voting on whether to impeach President Dilma Rousseff over charges of manipulating government accounts for political gains. | |
| The vote comes after party leaders addressed the chamber with their views. | The vote comes after party leaders addressed the chamber with their views. |
| Some MPs tried to disrupt the session as it got under way. Several thousand rival protesters are gathered outside the Congress building. | Some MPs tried to disrupt the session as it got under way. Several thousand rival protesters are gathered outside the Congress building. |
| Ms Rousseff, 68, denies the charge and accuses opponents of mounting a "coup". | Ms Rousseff, 68, denies the charge and accuses opponents of mounting a "coup". |
| A two-thirds majority - 342 out of 513 votes - is needed to send the motion to the upper house, the Senate, which will consider the allegations of unlawful activity against her. | A two-thirds majority - 342 out of 513 votes - is needed to send the motion to the upper house, the Senate, which will consider the allegations of unlawful activity against her. |
| If the Senate finds her guilty, she can be removed from office permanently. She has two opportunities to appeal during the whole process. | If the Senate finds her guilty, she can be removed from office permanently. She has two opportunities to appeal during the whole process. |
| Impeachment vote: Live updates | Impeachment vote: Live updates |
| The result of the lower house vote may not be known for a while, as each MP is being given the opportunity to explain the decision they have made - as their vote is flashed up on screen. | |
| Voting began after lengthy statements from MPs and party leaders in a session that is being broadcast live on television as well as on large screens in city centres. | Voting began after lengthy statements from MPs and party leaders in a session that is being broadcast live on television as well as on large screens in city centres. |
| Defending Ms Rousseff, Afonso Florence, of her governing Workers' Party, urged MPs to have a "democratic conscience", and attacked her opponents who are facing their own charges of corruption. | Defending Ms Rousseff, Afonso Florence, of her governing Workers' Party, urged MPs to have a "democratic conscience", and attacked her opponents who are facing their own charges of corruption. |
| Pro-impeachment MP, Antonio Imbassahy of the PSDB party, told lawmakers to "choose the country that we want from now on", and said Brazil needed "moral reconstruction." | Pro-impeachment MP, Antonio Imbassahy of the PSDB party, told lawmakers to "choose the country that we want from now on", and said Brazil needed "moral reconstruction." |
| Read more on Brazil's political crisis: | Read more on Brazil's political crisis: |
| Hundreds of thousands of protesters have gathered in cities across the country - Ms Rousseff's supporters wearing red and her opponents wearing the green and yellow of the Brazilian flag. | Hundreds of thousands of protesters have gathered in cities across the country - Ms Rousseff's supporters wearing red and her opponents wearing the green and yellow of the Brazilian flag. |
| A 2m (6.5ft) high wall, stretching 1km (0.6 miles), has been built along the esplanade in front of Congress to separate the rival supporters who gathered in Brasilia. | A 2m (6.5ft) high wall, stretching 1km (0.6 miles), has been built along the esplanade in front of Congress to separate the rival supporters who gathered in Brasilia. |
| Reports say the atmosphere has so far been peaceful; almost festive with music, fancy dress and people blowing trumpets and vuvuzuelas. | Reports say the atmosphere has so far been peaceful; almost festive with music, fancy dress and people blowing trumpets and vuvuzuelas. |
| Brazil's three main newspapers predict a narrow vote in favour of impeaching Ms Rousseff. | Brazil's three main newspapers predict a narrow vote in favour of impeaching Ms Rousseff. |
| The president has vigorously denied any wrongdoing, and on Saturday wrote in one newspaper her opponents "want to convict an innocent woman and save the corrupt". | The president has vigorously denied any wrongdoing, and on Saturday wrote in one newspaper her opponents "want to convict an innocent woman and save the corrupt". |
| The BBC's Wyre Davis in Brazil says Ms Rousseff is an unpopular leader in a country facing a severe economic crisis. | The BBC's Wyre Davis in Brazil says Ms Rousseff is an unpopular leader in a country facing a severe economic crisis. |
| She is accused of juggling the accounts to make her government's economic performance appear better than it was, ahead of her election campaign two years ago - charges she vigorously denies. | She is accused of juggling the accounts to make her government's economic performance appear better than it was, ahead of her election campaign two years ago - charges she vigorously denies. |
| But her supporters say many of the congressmen who are sitting in judgement have been accused of far more serious crimes. | But her supporters say many of the congressmen who are sitting in judgement have been accused of far more serious crimes. |
| If she is impeached, Vice-President Michel Temer would take over as interim president, but he is also facing impeachment proceedings over the same allegations as Ms Rousseff. | If she is impeached, Vice-President Michel Temer would take over as interim president, but he is also facing impeachment proceedings over the same allegations as Ms Rousseff. |
| Ms Rousseff accused him this week of being one of the ringleaders of the "coup" attempt against her. | Ms Rousseff accused him this week of being one of the ringleaders of the "coup" attempt against her. |
| She has also indicated lower house speaker Eduardo Cunha - who would be second in line to replace her - is among those trying to oust her. He is being investigated over allegations of taking multi-million-dollar bribes. | She has also indicated lower house speaker Eduardo Cunha - who would be second in line to replace her - is among those trying to oust her. He is being investigated over allegations of taking multi-million-dollar bribes. |
| Next in line to replace her is Renan Calheiros, head of the Senate. But he, too, is under investigation in connection with a massive corruption scandal at state-oil company Petrobras. | Next in line to replace her is Renan Calheiros, head of the Senate. But he, too, is under investigation in connection with a massive corruption scandal at state-oil company Petrobras. |
| All three are from the PMDB - the largest party in the coalition, which abandoned Ms Rousseff in recent weeks to support the impeachment. They deny the allegations against them. | All three are from the PMDB - the largest party in the coalition, which abandoned Ms Rousseff in recent weeks to support the impeachment. They deny the allegations against them. |
| What happens next? | What happens next? |
| Lower house vote: An impeachment vote is due in the lower house on Sunday. A two-thirds majority is required for it to go forward to the Senate. | Lower house vote: An impeachment vote is due in the lower house on Sunday. A two-thirds majority is required for it to go forward to the Senate. |
| Senate vote on trial: If Ms Rousseff case is sent to the Senate, a simple majority is enough to suspend her for up to 180 days while she is put on trial. Vice-President Michel Temer would step in during this period. | Senate vote on trial: If Ms Rousseff case is sent to the Senate, a simple majority is enough to suspend her for up to 180 days while she is put on trial. Vice-President Michel Temer would step in during this period. |
| Impeachment vote: For Ms Rousseff to be removed from office permanently, two-thirds of the Senate would have to vote in favour. Mr Temer would remain president for an interim period should this happen. | Impeachment vote: For Ms Rousseff to be removed from office permanently, two-thirds of the Senate would have to vote in favour. Mr Temer would remain president for an interim period should this happen. |